l different to those we see in England. I marked one set of
stars more than all the rest. It is called the Southern Cross. The
world is round, and there are thousands of stars and other worlds round
us, on every side, all made and kept in their places and governed by
God. I often thought of that as I stood on deck at night, and felt that
the same great God was loving and caring for me, a poor sailor-boy.

STORY TWO, CHAPTER 3.

"Land ho! land ho!" I heard the man at the fore-topmast-head shout out.
He pointed to the east. There, as the sun rose, we saw quite clear a
long line of blue mountains, some of the highest on the face of the
globe, so I should think, for we were then well-nigh fifty miles off
them.

It seemed curious after sailing west so long, to see land on the east;
but then you will understand that we had gone also south, and then west,
and then north again, round a point--a pretty big point to be sure--I
mean Cape Horn.

We had had a fresh breeze all day, but it was almost dark before we
dropped anchor in the bay of Valparaiso, or the Vale of Paradise, as it
is called. It is the chief port in the country of Chili, and some way
inland is the capital, called Santiago. As soon as the anchor was down
we were divided into three watches, which gave us all a longer time in
bed, no small boon to us, who had been watch and watch so long.

The next morning I was on deck early, to have a look at the land. It is
very hilly and rocky close to the sea; and away inland, the high
mountains I spoke of run up towards the sky. This is a very hot
country, and so the land looked parched and dry; but I was told that in
winter it is green and fresh. The country once belonged to Spain, and
all the chief people in it are born of Spanish fathers and mothers. The
people all talk Spanish, though the poorer classes have come from the
native Indians, and many have had Spanish fathers. They were very
civil; and some of the boatmen talked enough English to make us know
what they wished to say. They brought us plenty of fruits, which they
sold cheap--oranges, and grapes, and figs, and melons, and water-melons.
The water-melon they eat a great deal of, and it is very nice in a hot
country as theirs is. It is as big as a man's head, with a hard, green
rind, and in the inside is what looks like pink snow, with a sweetish
taste, and black seeds.

The people wear all sorts of curious dresses, but what I remember best
w